Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The arrests yesterday and revelations of a very sophisticated scam involving illegal immigration to this country, particularly through Dublin Airport, were truly shocking and exposed a significant lapse in national security at key entry points into the State. This has wide-ranging ramifications in terms of future security policy and our capacity to withstand many types of violation of our security system. This is a wake-up call given the ease with which people could enter the country with the connivance of people working at the airport, either with carriers or in any other capacity. It seems an extraordinary gap in our system that could facilitate such illegal activity organised by global crime gangs targeting Dublin and Ireland generally as an easy route.

As the Garda Síochána has indicated, while evidence has not emerged yet it may not just be people being smuggled in this manner or by other routes. There could be firearms, drugs or large sums of cash coming in through similar systems to bypass controls. Tom Clonan, a well respected security analyst, made the point that Ireland through no fault of the Garda would be Europe's weakest link. He is quoted as saying in response to this revelation that we do not know who is here.

Are we wide open for terrorists? I know that is a different paradigm from smuggling people but if they can bypass us so easily on that front it seems we need to review our national security to make sure we rid ourselves of any complacency in the system about terrorists exploiting such gaps and lapses in security for their nefarious purposes. Brexit is coming down the track with potentially very significant immigration issues arising, and issues pertaining to controls. It is alleged that the British security system has notified Dublin of its concerns about weaknesses in our national security. Will the Taoiseach ensure, and is the Minister for Justice and Equality committed to, a comprehensive national security review to ensure these types of lapses in security do not occur again?

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